1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf putter, and more particularly to a new and improved dual shafted golf putter for permitting greater control of the path of movement of the golf putter and allowing detachment of one of the dual shafts for use as a conventional single shafted golf putter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf is an extremely demanding and perplexing sport which requires great accuracy and concentration, especially in the putting aspect of the sport. Such accuracy can be developed by improvement in the techniques for holding and stroking the golf clubs, including addressing and stroking the golf ball. In order to achieve the end result of moving the golf ball on a desired projectory with a high degree of accuracy and consistency, each of the foregoing steps is absolutely essential.
It is well known that a critical part of the game of golf is putting the golf ball with a putter, which occurs after the ball is positioned on the green. When putting a golf ball with a golf putter, a player normally grips the putter with the player's hands along the same area, since there is a single shaft having a handle. Normally, the player is required to grip the putter handle with one hand placed above the other in a somewhat unnatural placement of the hands. In such an unnatural placement of the player's hands on the handle, there is a tendency to turn the putter along its longitudinal axis by rolling or breaking the wrists. This tendency is detrimental for putting because a proper putting stroke involves using the shoulders and upper body, without the wrists affecting the stroke.
The use of a parallel pair of widely spaced handles has been suggested, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,221, to avoid the unnatural hand placement which occurs with the use of conventional golf clubs. As a result of the wide spacing, rotating the putter is not similar to that occurring when the player uses a single handle putter. The large handle-to-handle spacing of such putters has a feel which is different from a single handle putter, and does not offer any benefit to a golfer in the nature of training in the proper feel necessary to accomplish a polished putting stroke with a single handle putter. Nor do such putters offer any benefit to a golfer in the nature of training in the proper alignment between the handle and the face of the putter in a putting stroke.
The use of a pair of shafts has also been suggested, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,073, to allow the hands, arms and shoulders to follow the putting stroke path and thereby keep the face of the putter head perpendicular to the path of travel of the ball once it is stroked. Such dual shafted putters afford considerable advantages over dual handled putters for training purposes, but up to now, use of such dual handled or dual shafted putters has not been sanctioned by appropriate rule-making bodies for use in competition or tournament play.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved golf putter with a shaft and handle system which can be used for training purposes to teach a player to position and move the player's hands, arms, and shoulders to follow the putting stroke path and thereby keep the face of the putter head perpendicular to the path of travel of the ball once it is stroked, which can be simply and easily converted to a conventional single shaft and handle golf putter for use in competition or tournament play, and which affords a player the benefit of competing or playing in tournaments using the same golf putter with which the player has trained and learned proper putting techniques and with which the player has become familiar. The present invention addresses that need.